5 October, Day 14: Portomarín - Arzúa

Distance: 56km



We got up at 7, had our breakfast and got ready for the day. As we were leaving, so were a mother and daughter from Vancouver, who had been walking since Roncesvalles; and the mother is 78 years old. Amazing!

Miguel, on the way to Palas de Rei

Galicia

It was drizzling a little when we started; going by the road - uphill 11km - up until Hospital da Cruz, where we took the camino, which followed a gorgeous path to Palas de Rei, where we stopped at a small cafe - where everybody else knew each other - and we had coffee, bocadillos and a glass of cider. As we moved on, around one, we felt a few raindrops, again.

A hostel, custom named for Oscar

Getting closer!

We continued by the camino, fantastic, passing wooded areas ( corredoiros), green pastures, just lovely!! Micael took some video. But, soon after we passed Leboreiro, it started to rain, and rain it did!.

Horreo, near Palas de Rei

Corredoiro

We found an old abandoned building where we could shelter and waited for a while; when it looked like it was less, we started again but it started raining harder again.

Y llovió, llovió, llovió...

By the time we arrived to Mélide, we were totally drenched. We stopped at a pizzeria to have a hot chocolate and call the hostel at Arzúa and make sure there'd be room for us. We continued with less rain, but with our wet (obviously not waterproof jackets) we were cold. We took the road and as we left Mélida, we stopped at a petrol station, where Micael gave a quick rinse to the bicycles, to remove all the mud.

Drenched...

Those 15km where very looong, with some rain, some sun, unti we passed Ribadiso de Baixo, and we took the camino again and finally reached Arzúa, where the hospitalera was waiting for us by the road and immediately showed us the garage where the bikes would be safe and helped us get our stuff inside. After a nice hot shower and putting everything in the washing machine, we came out to more rain. So we went into the small bar next door, where we spent the rest of the evening, reading, writing, watching news, and having a meal, while outside, it did not stop raining.


Mercedes Sosa has died...